أبلِغاtell, you two رَبطَةَRabṭa أنّيthat I
أبلِغا رَبطَةَ أنّي
كُنتُI was عَبداًa slave لأبيهاto her father
كُنتُ عَبداً لأبيها
You two, tell Rabṭa that I
You two, tell Rabṭa that I
was a slave to her father.
Was a slave to her father.
فَمَضَىthen he passed away يَرحَمُهُmay He have mercy on him الGod (first fragment of 'Allah')
فَمَضَى يَرحَمُهُ ال
لَهGod (last fragment of 'Allah') وَأَوصَىand commended بيconcerning me إلَيهَاto her
لَه وَأَوصَى بي إلَيهَا
Then he passed away—may God have mercy
Then he passed away—may God
on him—and entrusted me to her.
Have mercy on him—and commended me to her care.
وأُرَاهاand I think she نَسِيَتنِيhas forgotten me
وأُرَاها نَسِيَتنِي
مِثلَlike نِسيَانِthe forgetting of أخيهاher brother
مِثلَ نِسيَانِ أخيها
And I believe she has forgotten me,
And I think she has forgotten me,
just as her brother forgot me.
Just as her brother has.
جاءcame شَهرُthe month of الصَّومِfasting يَمشيwalking
جاء شَهرُ الصَّومِ يَمشي
مِشيَةًa gait ماnot أشتَهِيهاI desire it
مِشيَةً ما أشتَهِيها
The month of fasting came advancing
The month of fasting came walking,
with a gait I hardly relish,
With a gait I do not relish,
قائِداًbringing ليto me لَيلَةَthe Night of القَد'Decree' (first fragment)
قائِداً لي لَيلَةَ القَد
رِ'Decree' (last fragment) كأنّيas though I أبتَغِيهاI seek it
رِ كأنّي أبتَغِيها
leading me the Night of
Bringing me the Night of
Decree—as though I sought it.
Decree, as though I sought it.
تَنطَحُbutts القِبلَةَthe qibla (prayer direction) شَهراًfor a month
تَنطَحُ القِبلَةَ شَهراً
جَبهَتيmy forehead لاnot تَأتَلِيهاneglects it
جَبهَتي لا تَأتَلِيها
Butting the qibla for a month,
Butting the qibla for a month—
my forehead never spares it.
My forehead, never neglecting it.
ولَقَدand indeed عشتُI lived زَمَاناًfor a time
ولَقَد عشتُ زَمَاناً
فيin فيافيَّmy desert wastes وَجِيهاesteemed
في فيافيَّ وَجِيها
Indeed, I once lived for a time
And indeed, I lived for a time,
a man of standing in my wildernesses.
Esteemed in my desert wastes,
فيin لَيالٍnights مِنof شِتاءٍwinter
في لَيالٍ مِن شِتاءٍ
كُنتُI was شيخاًan old man أَصطَليهاI warm myself in them
كُنتُ شيخاً أَصطَليها
On winter nights,
On nights in winter,
I was a sheikh, basking in the warmth,
I was an old man, warming myself in them,
قاعِداًsitting أوقِدُI kindle ناراًa fire
قاعِداً أوقِدُ ناراً
لِضَبَابٍfor spiny-tailed lizards أشتَوِيهاI roast them
لِضَبَابٍ أشتَوِيها
seated and kindling a fire
Sitting, kindling a fire
to roast desert lizards,
For spiny-tailed lizards I would roast,
وَصَبُوحٍand a morning draught وَغَبُوقٍand an evening draught
وَصَبُوحٍ وَغَبُوقٍ
فيin عِلابٍbowls أحتَسيهاI sip them
في عِلابٍ أحتَسيها
with morning and evening draughts
And morning draughts and evening draughts
that I quaffed from leather cups.
Which I would sip from bowls.
ماnot أُبالِيI care about لَيلَةَthe Night of القَد'Decree' (first fragment)
ما أُبالِي لَيلَةَ القَد
رِ'Decree' (last fragment) وَلاand do not تُسمِعُنِيهاmake me hear of it
رِ وَلا تُسمِعُنِيها
I cared nothing for the Night of
I care nothing for the Night of
Decree—so do not speak to me of it.
Decree—and do not mention it to me.
فاطلُبِيso seek ليfor me فرجاًrelief مِنfrom
فاطلُبِي لي فرجاً مِن
هَاit وأجرِيand my reward لكِfor you فيهاin it
هَا وأجرِي لكِ فيها
So seek deliverance for me from
So seek relief for me from
it, and my reward for it shall be yours.
It—and my reward for it shall be yours.
